GM Plans New Test-Drive Initiative

New Campaign Slated for Europe,
Where Auto Maker Suffers Losses

By

Stephen Power and

Neal E. Boudette Staff Reporters of The Wall Street Journal

Updated March 1, 2005 11:19 p.m. ET

GENEVA -- General Motors Corp., seeking to revive its reputation&nbsp;in Europe after years of heavy losses,&nbsp;plans to undertake an unusually&nbsp;large and&nbsp;costly effort to get customers to test-drive Opel and Vauxhall-branded cars over the next year or so.

The campaign will involve more than 30,000 new cars that will be set aside at dealerships for prospective customers to use for up to several days on a...